Multiple suture yarn control



June 30, 1931. E. c. HINCHLIFF 1,812,653

MULTIFLE SUTURE YARN CONTROL Filed April 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fwaw-June 30, 1931. E. c. HINCHLIFF 1,812,653

I MULTIPLE SUTURB YARN CONTROL Filed April 25. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 K gZ5 .55 1

Patented June 30, 1931 UNITE STATES PATENT FFICE EDWARD o. HINCHLIFF, orRoonronn, ILLINOIS, AssIenon; T'O Bunsen KNITTING COMPANY, or ROCKFORD,ILLINOIS, A GOR-IPORATION or ILLINOIS MULTIPLE s-IITURE YARN CONTROLApplication filed A r-a 25,

This invention relates to straight knitting machines, and is moreparticularly concerned with yarn controls, the same having to do with amultiple suture yarn control for use in knitting any desired fabric, butmore particularly a split foot stocking having either a step toe splitfoot stocking where heavy sole yarn and I light body yarn is used onopposite sides of a suture, it is a problem to keep the yarn thatextends to the needles remote from the yarn transfer mechanism frombecoming entangled 2 during the knitting with a second yarn with theneedles at the transfer or home end of the machine. This problem wassolved by provision of a yarn retainer on one side ofthe bed behindWhich the first yarncould be-deposited by a finger on the carrier ofthesec- 0nd yarn, but'the problem became more involved when it wasdesired to deposit this first yarn behind a retainer when the retainerhad to be made in sections with gaps therebetween, one for each of thesutures-,because in moving the first yarn from one suture point toanother, the yarn would invariably catch in the one'or more gaps of theprevious sutures. It is, therefore, the ob ect of this 1nvention toprovide practical Ways and means of avoiding entanglement or catching ofthe first yarn asit is being deposited by the finger on the carrier ofthe second yarn at each commencement of the knitting with the secondyarn, by guiding the first yarn overthe suture gaps between contiguousyarn retainers. I

templates the provision of special yarn sinkers or web holders in thegaps between the yarn retainers provided with upstanding projectionspreferably suitably rounded or arouate on the top thereof and reachingfrom a point in front of the retainersto a point in the gaps between theretainers with the uppermost portion thereof preferably substantially inthe same plane with the top of the retainers so that the yarn as it isbeing deposited back of the retainers by the finger on the carrier ofthe second yarn-will'be guided More specifically stated, my inventioncon- 1930. Serial 110,447,145.

over the topof said projections and cannot possibly get caught in thegaps between the retainers in the passage of the finger from the oneretainer past a gap to the next retainer. My invention furthercontemplates the provision in the back of each'of said projections of asuitable slot or recess for reception of the yarn to avoid its beingchafed or i in perspective of the yarn control provided in accordancewith my invention,

Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of retainer,the use of which accomplishes the same purpose as the cooperatingsinkers and yarn retainers of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4c is afragmentary transverse vertical section taken on the line Hof Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5 is afragmentary transverse vertical section showing how each of theretainers is mounted on the sinker cap;

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views illustrating" how the yarncontrol-of my in- 'vention serves to retain the first yarn in an out ofthe way position during the knitting with'tlie second yarn at each ofthe three sutures provided for in the machine illustrated in Figure 1,and v Fig. 9 is a side view of a split foot stocking having a step toeand narrow high splice, and produced on the machine of Figure 1.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding partsthroughout the views.

Before'proceeding with the description of the yarn control, attention isdirected to- Fig. 9 showing one example of knitting involving amultiplicity of sutures. There is a suture at 10 just behind the toeproper 11, as desired in a step toe, another suture 12 between the sole13 and instep 1 1 and .reachin to the heel 15, and still another suture16 for the narrow high splice 17 The toe, sole, heel and high splice areusually of a heavier and more durable yarn, which I will refer tohereinafter for the sake of convenience as the first yarn, whereas theinstep and the rest of the body of the stocking is usually of a lighteryarn, such as silk, to be hereinafter referred to as the second yarn.The first yarn is indicated at 18 n Figs. 68, and the second yarn isindicatc-d in dotted lines at 19 in Fig. 6. In the production of thestocking of Fig. 9, the toe 11 is started with a set-up in the usual wayand knit by round and round knitting up to the beginning of the instep14. Then, the instep and sole are knit by back and forth knitting, theheel 15 being produced by narrowing and widening, and the back and forthknitting being continued to the top of the high splice, after which theleg is knit by round and round knitting to the top of the stocking. Atthe step toe, which, of course, is at the commencement of the backand'forth knitting with the two yarns, first one and then theotheralternately, in a well known manner, the knitting with the secondyarn 19 is limited to-the needles spanned by the first retainer 20, asrepresented in Fig. 6, the gap 10 being for the first suture 10. Theneedles beyond the first suture gap 10 spanned in part by the next tworetainers 21 and 22 at this stage of the knitting are knitting with thefirst yarn 18. Notice that, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thesecond yarn 19 is used in knitting starting from the transfer end of themachine on one bed forward to the suture point 10 and back on the samebed to thestarting point, then across to the other bed and forward againto the suture point and back again to the transfer end of the machineand then out, and thatduring this back and forth knitting. the firstyarn 18 is held out of the way behind the retainer 20, as indicated infull lines. After completion of the step toe and upon commencement ofthe knitting of the sole 13 and instep 142 on" opposite sides of thesuture 12, the pattern mechanism, in the case of knitting with thesecond yarn 19, throws into action an additional number of needlesspanned by the second retainer 21, as indicated in Fig. 7, the knittingwith the second yarn being carried past the first suture point 10 up toa second suture point 12, the gap for which is shown between the secondretainer 21 and a third retainer 22. During the knitting with the secondyarn, the first yarn is held outof the way behind the retainers 20 and21, as shown in Fig. 7. After completion of the sole and heel, and uponcommencement of the narrow high splice 17 defined by the suture 16, thepattern mechanism throws into action in the knitting with the secondyarn 19 still another additional number of needles spanned by the thirdretainer 22, as shown in Fig. 8, the knitting with the second yarn 19being carried past the suture'points 10 and 12 to the suture point 16'.During this knitting, the first yarn 18 is held out of the way behindall three retainers 20, 21 and 22. It will be observed in each of thethree Figures 6, 7 and 8, that the knitting with the first yarn is ineach case started at the suture point and forward to the end of the bankof active needles of the one bed, then across the other bed and back tothe suture point and forward again to the end of the bank of activeneedles and across to the first bed, then back to the suture point andout. In other words, the first yarn 18, at the end of each back andforth knitting operation therewith, is always extended from the same bedof needles from one of the three suture points to the yarn carriertherefor on the transfer mechanism, that is, during the knitting of thefoot and up to the top of the high splice 17. This first yarn, unlessheld out of the way, would obviously become entangled in thereciprocation of the carrier of the second yarn. There is no suchpossibility of interference, however, on the part of the second yarnduring the knitting with the first yarn, because the second yarn attheend of each back and forth knitting operation therewith extends from thetransfer end of the bed directly to the carrier therefor on the transfermechanism. From this much explanation, it is thought the purposes andadvantages of the yarn control of my invention will be easily understoodfrom the following description when read in connection with the viewsshowing the actual construction employed, especially if it be borne inmindthat at the commencement of each knitting operation with the secondyarn 19, the first yarn 18 must be deposited behind the one, two orthree retainers, as the case may be, and that in this operation ofdepositing the yarn, it is imperative that there be no likelihood of itscatching in either of, let us say the gaps 10 and 12, if, for example,the yarn is to be deposited behind all three retainers.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the numeral 23 isapplied to the carrier of the second yarn 19 reciprocable lengthwise ofthethroat of the machine in ways 24: on sinker caps 25 extendinglongitudinally of the opposed beds of needles in the usual way. Beneaththe sinker caps, each. bed is made up of the usual needle supports 26separated by division plates carried therewith on longitudinalsupporting rods 27. The needles 28 are reciprocable in grooves in thetops of the needle supports in which they are held by the usual fillersprings 29 provided under the sinker bed 30. The sinker cap 25 retainsthe sinkers or web holders 31 in place on the sinker bed. The sinkers 31have the web holding hooks 32 on the front ends thereof. It isunderstood, of course, that the sinkers are arranged to be reciprocatedin a predetermined timed relation with the knitpears in dotted lines.

ting strokes of the needles so that the hooks 32 serve their usual webholding function.

In accordance with my invention, a plurality of retainers, equal innumber to the number of sutures to be formed in the knitting, areprovided in connection with the one bed of needles, behind which thefirst yarn is arranged to be deposited progressively, that is to say,behind one retainer in knitting on opposite sides of the first suture,behind two sutures in knitting on opposite sides of the second suture,and so on. In this case, as we have seen from the foregoing description,there are three sutures to be taken into account, namely, 10, 12 and 16,and for that reason, three retainers 20, 21 and 22 are provided, asshown in Figure 1. Each of the retainers 21 and 22 is preferably formedfrom a piece of small round stiff wire bent at each end in the form of aU 33, as shown in Figs. 2

and 5, the two ends 33 being bent in the same direction into parallelismwith one another, as shown, and the ends 3% of the wires being bent atright angles each in the same plane 1, with its U to constitute a meansfor support ing the retainers at opposite ends thereof. As shown in Fig.5, the sinker cap 25 has holes 35 drilled therein from the front intowhich the ends 34 are driven or pressed. The

1; retainer 20 is also made of a single piece of Wire with the forwardend shaped like the ends of the other retainers but having its other endsuitably supported on an upwardly projecting portion of a small sheetmetal bracket 36 suitably fastened to the transfer end of the sinkercap. The wire of there tainer 20 is extended beyond the bracket 36, asshown in Figure 1, far enough to always insure easy sliding of the yarn18 over the same and behind the retainer 20 at the beginning of theoperation of depositing the yarn behind the retainer or retainers. Thedepositing of the yarn is taken care of by means of a wire finger 37bent generally into the shape of the numeral 4, as shown in Fig. 2, andsuitably secured onto the yarn carrier 23 of the second yarn andprojecting downwardly from said carrier, as indicated in Figure 1,

at the proper location with reference to the one bed of needles tooperate back and forth in the space between the retainers 20, 21 and 22and the front of the sinker cap 25, as is thought to be clear inFigure 1. In Fig. 2 the finger 37 is shown behind the retainer 20 at anintermediate point of its stroke with the yarn carrier. This finger, inother words, passes through the U-ends 33 of the retainers over theshanks of the sinkers 31. This fact is indicated in Fig. 4 where thefinger 37 ap- No-w, between the end of the retainer 20 and the adjacentend of the retainer 21 there is a gap which has previously beendeignated by the numeral 10, and a similar gap at 12 between the end ofthe retainer 21 and the adjacent end of the retainer 22. Each of thesegaps is necessitated for a suture needle. The suture needles aredesignated 28 to distinguish them from the other needles 28, they beingall alike, and each of these suture needles has two sinkers provided onopposite sides thereof like the other needles, excepting that the sinkerof each pair remote from the transfer end of the bed, des ignated by thenumeral 31 so as to distinguish it from its companion sinker 31, has thetop thereof specially formed to serve in the nature of a baffle ordeflector for the yarn to keep it from dropping down into the gap whenit is desired to have it slide over the same. It will be observed thatthe top of each of the sinkers 31 has a projection 38 reaching from apoint in front of the retainers into the gap therebetween and having thetop thereof rounded or arcuate so as to facilitate sliding of the yarnover the same and avoid likelihood of catching. The rear end of each ofthese projections 38 is approximately at the same elevation as the topsof the retainers (see Fig. 4) so that the yarn in sliding over theprojection will naturally slide right onto the top of the next retainerand will not get caught between the projection and the end of theretainer. In Fig. 2 the yarn 18 is shown sliding over the top of theprojection 38 at the first suture gap 10 preparatory to going onto theretainer 21. The rear end of each of the projections 38 is slotted, asindicated at 39, for reception of the yarn deposited behind theretainers. These slots are necessary, owing to the fact that theprojections 38 reach to a point so close to the front of the sinker cap25 that the yarn would be pinched or chafed between the rear end of theprojections and the front of the sinker cap inthe normal reciprocationof the sink ers, if no place were provided as a refuge for the yarn.That is, the baffle or deflecting action of the projections necessitateshaving them of a predetermined length, and there is not enough clearancebetween the rear ends of these projections and the front face of thesinker cap to allow for the full stroke of the sinkers and still leaveenough clearance for the yarn, and the slots provide that clearancewithout in any way detracting fro-m the suc cessful functioning of theprojections as guiding bafiies or deflectors for the yarn.

The slots 39 are, however, notmade deeper than is actually necessary, sothat there will be no chance of the yarn getting caught therein enoughto interfere with its being easily removed when it becomes its turn toknit.

The operation of the yarn control is believed to be fairly clear fromthe foregoing description. After the completion of each back and forthknitting with the first yarn, and at the commencement of each knittingwith the second yarn, the yarn carrier 23 for the second yarn in makingits first forward stroke, is arranged to take care of the depositing of'the first y'a rn behind the one or more retainers, by means of thefinger 37' which reciprocates behind the retainers. Refer ring to Fig.2, where the first yarn 18 is shown extending from the second sutureneedle, this corresponding to the knitting illustrated in Fig. 7, itwill be seen that the finger 37 on the forward stroke of the carrierdeposits the yarn first behind the retainer 20 and then behind theretainer 21, the projection 38 on the sinker 31' at the gap 10 servingto keep the yarn from getting caught. lVhen the finger 37 is passing thegap 12, the yarn slips off, there being enough tension on the yarnbetween the suture needle and the yarn car rier to begin with, and thetension being increased the closer the finger 37 comes to the pointadjacent the gap of the suture needle, where the yarn extends from thesuture needle to the finger approximately at right angles to the planeof the retainers and the path of movement of the finger, to insure theslipping off of the yarn. The yarn is thus left in the positionindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 lying back of the retainers 20 and21 and extending through the slot 39 in the projection 38 of the sinker31 at the gap 10. The yarn is, therefore, out of the way of the fingeron the return stroke of the carrier and the subsequent reciprocation ofthe carrier. After completion of the knitting with the second yarn andrecommencement of the knitting with the first yarn, when the yarncarrier for thefirstyarn is transferred into action, the first yarn isstripped ofi' the retainers in the forward movement of the yarn carrier,and, of course, after completion of the knitting operation with thefirst yarn, it is again deposited back of the retainer or retainers uponrecommencement of the knitting with the second yarn.

As described, the fact that the sinkers 31 have the backs of theprojections 38 slotted as at 39 prevents any damage to theyarn in thenormal reciprocation of the sinkers.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modification wherein, instead ofutilizing specially formed sinkers 31, I provide specially formed yarnretainers such as that designated by the numeral 21, and use ordinarysinkers like those numbered 31. The special yarn retainers 21 areprovided with projections 38 in the form of spurs reaching forwardlyfrom the retainers at the end toward the transfer end of the machine andbent laterally and downwa-rdly preferably in a slight curveover the topofthe sinker immediately alongside the end of the retainer. The spurprojection 38 may be provided by welding, soldering, or brazing a shortpiece of wire onto the wire retainer at the U-shaped end thereof. Theoperation of depositing the yarn in an out of the way position with thisform of combination yarn retalner and baffie or deflector is practicallythe same as with the other form of my invention above described.

The' foregoing description isbelieved to convey a clear understanding ofmy invention. The appended claims have been drawn with a view tocovering bothforms illustrated, as well as other modifications such aswill no doubt occur to those skilled in this art as a result of thedisclosure.

I claim:

1. In a straight knitting ma'chine,the com binati-on with a bed ofneedles and a guide ex tending lengthwise of the throat of the machineand adapted to have yarn carriers reciprocate thereon lengthwise of thebed, of a plurality of yarn retainers disposed in an out of the wayposition with respect to the bed of needles inalignment with oneanother' lengthwise of the bed and parallel with the guide, the saidretainers being spaced from one another at suture points, there beingneedles in the'bed constituting suture needles at the suture points fromwhich yarn is arranged to extend past one or more intervening retainersto the yarn carrier associated therewith when the latter is inactive,and means arranged in the reciprocation of a yarn carrier on the guideto thread the yarn extending from the sutureneedle onto'the one or moreyarn retainers between the said suture needle and the yarn carrierassociated therewith.

2. In a'straight knitting machine, the combination with a bed of needlesand a guide extending lengthwise of the throat of the machine andadapted to have-yarn carriers reciprocate thereon lengthwise of the bed,of a plurality of yarn retainers disposed in an out of the way positionwith respect to the bed of needles in alignment with one anotherlengthwise of the bed and parallel with the guide, the said retainersbeing spaced from one another at suture points, there being needles inthe bed constituting suture needles at the suture points from which yarnis arranged to extend past one or more intervening retainers to the yarncarrier associated therewith when thelatter is inactive, means arrangedin the reciprocation of ayarn carrier on the guide to thread the yarnextending from the suture needle onto the one or more yarn retainersbetween the said suture needle and the yarn carrier associatedtherewith, and means for guiding the yarn from the end of one retaineronto the end of the next in the threading of the yarn onto theretainers.

3. In a straight knitting machine, the com bination with a bed ofneedles and a guide extending lengthwise of the throat of the machinevand adapted to have yarn carriers reciprocate thereon lengthwise of thebed, of a plurality of yarn retainers disposed in an out of the wayposition with respect to the bed of needles in aligmnent with oneanother lengthwise of the bed and parallel with the guide, the saidretainers being spaced from 1 therewith when the latter is inactive,means arranged in the reciprocation of a yarn carrier on the guide tothread the yarn extending from the suture needle onto the one or moreyarn retainers between the said suture needle and the yarn carrierassociated therewith,

and means in the spaces between the yarn retainers at the suture pointsfor guiding the yarn from one retainer to the next.

4. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with opposed beds ofneedles and a yarn carrier guide extending lengthwise of the throat ofthe machine, of a plurality of yarn retainers provided in connectionwith one of the beds and extending from the transfer end of the machinein alignment with one another longitudinally of the bed and parallelwith the yarn carrier guide, said retainers being spaced from oneanother at the suture points, there being suture needles in the bed atthe suture points, the yarn at the end of each knitting operation withthe needles on the one side of a suture needle, remote from the transferend of the machine, being arranged to extend from the said suture needleto the transfer end of the machine past one or more intervening yarnretainers, and means arranged at the commencement of the knitting withthe needles on the other side of the suture needle for depositing thesaid yarn onto the intervening yarn retainers so as to be out of the wayduring the knitting with said needles.

5. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with opposed beds ofneedles and a yarn carrier guide extending lengthwise of the throat ofthe machine, of a plurality of yarn retainers provided in connectionwith one of the beds and extending from the transfer end of the machinein alignment with one another longitudinally of the bed and parallelwith the yarn carrier guide, said retainers being spaced from oneanother at the suture points, there being suture needles in the bed atthe suture points, the yarn at the end of each knitting operation withthe needles on the one side of a suture needle, remote from the transferend of the machine, being arranged to extend from the said suture needleto the transfer end of the machine past one or more intervening yarnretainers, and means operable in the initial forward movement of theyarn carrier associated with the needles on the other side of the'sutureneedle for threading the yarn extending from said suture needle onto theintervening yarn retainers.

6. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with opposed beds 9fneedles and a yarn carrier guide extending lengthwise of the throat ofthe machine, of a plurality of yarn retainers provided in connectionwith one of the beds and extending from the transfer end of the machinein alignment with one another longitudinally of the bed and parallelwith the yarn carrier guide, said retainers being spaced from oneanother at the suture points, there being suture needles in the bed atthe suture points, the yarn at the end of each knitting operation withthe needleson the one side of a suture needle, remote from the transferend of the machine, being arranged to extend from the said suture needleto the transfer end of the machine past one or more intervening yarnretainers, means operable in the initial forward movement of the yarncarrier: associated with the needles on the other side of the sutureneedle for threading'the yarn extending from said suture needle onto theintervening yarn retainers, and

1neans at each of the suture points for guiding the yarn from the-end ofone retainer onto the next to avoid catching of the yarn at the suturepoints in the threading of the yarn onto more than one retainer. 7

7. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a bed ofneedles, sinkers cooperating therewith and a sinker cap for the latter,of a plurality of yarn retainers (heposed in spaced end to end relationlengthwise of the bed spanning the shanks of the sinkers and carried onthe sinker cap in spaced parallel relation to the latter, there beingsuture needles in the bed for the different suture points in the spacesbetween the retainers, and means operable lengthwise of the bedbetweenthe retainers and the sinker cap for threading yarn extendingfrom any in spaced end to end relation lengthwise of the bed spanningthe shanks of the sinkers and carried on the sinker capin spacedparallel relation tolthe latter, there being suture needles in the bedfor the di'lferent suture points in the spaces between the retainers,and at least one sinker alongside each suture needle in each of saidspaces, meansoperable lengthwise of the bed between the retainers andthe sinkercap for threading yarn extending from any one of the sutureneedles onto saidretainers, and means on each of the sinkers at thesuture points for guiding the yarn from the one retainer to the next.

' 9. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a bedofneedles, sinkers cooperating therewith, and a sinker cap for thelatter,'0f a plurality'ofyarn retainers disposed in spaced end to endrelation lengthwise of the bedspanning the shanks of the sinkers and erned an th sin n erased parallel.

ISO

said sinkers extending on an incline from a point in front of the yarnretainers rearwardly at least up to said retainers and to approximatelythe same elevation as said retainers for the purpose described.

10. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with a bed ofneedles, sinkers cooperating therewith, and a sinker cap for the latter,of a plurality of yarn retainers disposed in spaced end to end relationlengthwise of the bed'spanning the shanks of the sinkers and carried onthe sinker cap in spaced parallel relation to thelatter, there beingsuture needles in the bed for the different suture points in the spacesbetween the retainers, and at least one sinker alongside each sutureneedle in each of said spaces, means operable lengthwise of the bedbetween the retainers and the sinker cap for threading yarn extendingfrom any one of the suture needles onto said retainers, and means oneach of the sinkers at the suture points for guiding the yarn from theone retainer to the next, said means comprising a projection on each ofsaid sinkers extending on an incline from a point in front of the yarnretainers rearwardly at least up to said retainers and to approximatelythe same elevation as said retainers for the purpose described, therebeing a shoulder on said sinkers behind said projections and the yarnbeing arranged to be deposited behind said shoulder in front of thesinker cap, the shoulder on each of said sinkers being provided. with arecess to accommodate the yarn therein and prevent pinching thereofbetween the shoulder and; the sinker cap.

11. The method of controlling one of two yarns to avoid entanglementduring the knitting with the other yarn in a straight knitting machine,where the two yarns are used in knitting on opposite sides of severalsutures, the method consisting in providing as many yarn retainers asthere are sutures, placing the retainers so that they terminate at thesuture points, and, in knitting with the second yarn up to any givensuture point, de-

positing the loose portion of the first yarn behind the retainer orretainers associated with the previous. suture or sutures.

12. The method of controlling one of two yarns to avoid entanglementduring the knitting with the other yarn in a straight knitting machine,Where the two yarns are used in knitting on opposite sides of severalsutures, the method consisting in providing as many yarn retainers asthere are sutures, placing the retainers so that they terminate at thesuture points, and, in knitting with the In witness of the foregoing Iafiix my signai} ture.

EDVARD C. HINCHLIF F Ill;

